


Equilibrium

by AntarcticBird



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2712065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntarcticBird/pseuds/AntarcticBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because sometimes love is all it takes to keep you from falling flat on your face and those two, more than anyone else, have taught him that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Equilibrium

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [klaineadvent](http://klaineadvent.tumblr.com/) Day 2: Balance

“Thanks again for letting me crash here,” Kurt says, shaking out the blanket over the couch, already in his pajamas.

“No problem,” Elliott assures him, fighting the spare pillow into a clean pillow case. “Any time.”

“I know it's stupid, I mean, it's not like we haven't already -”

“No, I know.” Elliot grins at him, gives the pillow a final shake, and finally the corners go where they're supposed to. “I get it. I think it's kind of romantic, actually.”

Kurt sighs. “It wasn't even my idea. But he was so excited about it. And it's just one night, after all.”

“Come on. It's sweet. I mean, if you're doing this, you might as well do it right.”

“Yeah.” Kurt laughs. “That's pretty much exactly what Blaine said.”

Elliott drops the pillow onto the couch, pats his best friend's shoulder affectionately. “Get some rest. It's a big day tomorrow.”

Kurt smiles, nods his head, and even though he's still trying to look annoyed at the thought of spending the night away from his own beautiful apartment, Elliott can see the excitement for tomorrow shining out of his eyes. “Good night.”

Elliott retreats to his own bedroom and his own husband, and he can't help smiling to himself. He does think it's a sweet idea, spending the night apart, and he knows Kurt secretly agrees even if he would never admit it to Blaine.

Ten years, Elliott thinks. Who still does things like this after being married ten years? He certainly hopes he will. He's optimistic. He's happy.

He's seen his friends fall in and out of love. He's had his own share of ups and downs before he found a love of his own. Because life is complicated and it's messy it's and hard, and he's had doubts and he has been angry and sometimes, he has lost hope. But that's the thing about having Kurt and Blaine in your life – you can't look at them and not believe in love when there are two people who make it seem so _possible_.

He's seen them go through so much together. Through college and crappy jobs and huge fights and dashed hopes. And he's seen them always come out on the other side hand in hand, still loving each other.

Anyone who's seen them make pancakes together or finish each other's sentences when retelling the story of that time they got snowed in at the airport on their return flight to New York has witnessed their creepily symbiotic relationship. But Elliott _knows_ them. He's known them for a long time.

He remembers another night Kurt had spent on his couch, remembers Kurt showing up at his place with eyes full of anger, remembers Kurt just sitting there not talking much at all while alternating between being furious and trying not to cry. He remembers waking up at 3am to the sound of insistent knocking against his front door, remembers opening the door to Blaine with his curls sticking up wild and his eyes red-rimmed from crying. He remembers two grown men kneeling on his carpet right there by the door, clutching each other so tightly it looked almost uncomfortable while muttering apologies in choked voices.

He remembers Kurt waiting to hear back after big auditions, fluttery and nervous and irritable, getting upset over trains that run slightly off schedule, making even piles of sugar packets at their favorite coffee shop. And Blaine by his side calm and quiet and certain the entire time. Kurt's increasingly panicked gestures as he repeats the minute-by-minute schedule of their day for the second time; Blaine catching his hands, holding them in his, and smiling. Just a smile, small and silent and warm, and the way Kurt's shoulders just relax, the way his eyes soften as he looks back at him.

He remembers Blaine subdued and withdrawn and quiet when once again that little belly he tends to have comes back and refuses to go away no matter how hard he exercises. He remembers Blaine in baggy clothes and sweatpants, hiding away in his and Kurt's apartment whenever he can, looking guilty for every cookie he can't refuse. And Kurt looking at him with so much affection in his eyes, staying close to him, touching him so gently, and so often. Little things like a hand on his knee, their fingers linked together, a kiss on the cheek in passing. Everything to show Blaine, and everyone who's watching, that Kurt thinks Blaine is beautiful.

Kurt getting his first big part on stage and rehearsing and exercising and memorizing like a crazy person, until Blaine practically drags him away on a weekend trip to make sure he gets at least a few hours of sleep that month.

Blaine joining two a capella groups, a band, a book club, a yoga class and a karaoke group on top of his job and being so excited about all his new friends and his busy schedule he doesn't even slow down for a second. And Kurt smiling and rolling his eyes fondly every time Elliott asks about Blaine, until one day Blaine suddenly has time to join them for weekend movie night again, his schedule cut down considerably after he slept through all three alarms every morning for a week.

And that, Elliott thinks, is what he's always admired about them, that is why they work the way they do.

When Kurt is nervous, Blaine is calm. When Blaine is insecure, Kurt is affectionate. When one of them trips, the other's already offering a hand.

It's life, and getting knocked off balance is something that just happens. And when it happens, there will be people who will push you further down, even if they're trying to help, they'll just make you lose your footing even more. A weight hanging off the wrong side of your neck.

But Kurt and Blaine? One of them stumbles, and the other one catches him. One of them loses balance and the other one holds him, doesn't let go until they're both standing on their feet again.

And sometimes they fight, and sometimes they screw up, and sometimes they're the ones knocking each other off their feet. And even then they pull each other back up.

In the morning, Elliott walks out into the living room to find Kurt on the couch with the blanket off – it's balled up in his arms, clutched to his chest like a sleeping lover.

He smiles to himself, and gets the coffee started.

Later, they take the car because Kurt doesn't want to go on the subway in his suit; Elliott has known him for so long and he can see the tension in his shoulders, the far-away look in his eyes as he goes over every detail in his head making sure they didn't forget anything.

And then they pull up in front of the hall and Blaine is already there, and it's been one night since they saw each other, but Kurt is out of the car in a flash and Blaine's arms are already open, and for just a moment, Elliott can see both of their faces: Kurt's wide, happy, _relieved_ smile and the soul-deep _longing_ shining out of Blaine's eyes. And then the two are just standing there, in the middle of the sidewalk outside the hall where they're about to renew their vows, hugging so tightly their suits will probably wrinkle after all. Elliott knows there will be freaking out about that in a minute.

For now, he gets out of the car at a much more dignified pace, offers his arm to the wonderful man he has with him, and smiles. “That could be us in six years.”

His husband smiles back. “It will be.”

On the sidewalk in front of them, Blaine is smiling now and Kurt is looking relaxed. And Elliott knows that some things might still go wrong. Things just … do that. There are no guarantees. But there are people who can help you find your balance again if you lose it.

And Kurt and Blaine, who are so good at doing that for each other, also do that for him and he knows it. They make it look possible. They give him hope.

It's in the practiced way Kurt offers his arm and Blaine takes it as they walk inside, the absolute certainty in the way they look at each other. They don't have everything in common, they're not perfect opposites, they're not fitting puzzle pieces. They're just two people loving each other very much.

And yes, a lot of it is hard work and compromises. But it's also … Kurt and Blaine. It's love. Because sometimes love is all it takes to keep you from falling flat on your face and those two, more than anyone else, have taught him that.

He hopes they have the _best_ day today. They deserve it. Smiling, he kisses his husband's cheek before following them inside.


End file.
